The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

In April The Leadership Conference Education Fund released a new report, Reversing the Rising Tide of Inequality: Achieving Educational Equity for Each and Every Child. The Education fund hopes the report will be used as a call-to-action for our nation to heed the findings For Each and Every Child: A Strategy for Education Equity and Excellence, issued in February by a panel of leading education experts appointed by Secretary Arne Duncan (aka The Equity and Excellence Commission).

Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing posing the question whether the Lifeline program is “money well spent?”  The Lifeline Fund, which provides discounts on telephone phone service to low-income households, is designed to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable communications services. In light of the increasing importance of communication services for the livelihood of all Americans, civil rights activists voiced support for the continuation of this program as well as expansion of it to include access to broadband networks for Lifeline-eligible consumers.

Bob Edgar, president and CEO of Common Cause, passed away suddenly this morning in his home. He was 69 years of age.

On May 2, the civil and human rights community will honor consumer advocate Martin Eakes with its highest honor, the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award, for his impassioned work as a champion of economic empowerment for women, low-income, rural and minority communities.

In testimony submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 20, Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, stressed the importance of ensuring due process for immigrants when considering reform legislation.